Motivational Interviewing (MI) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). In this course of therapy students are asked questions about their drinking, receive personalized feedback about it and are taught coping skills for their depressive symptoms.

8 sessions with study clinician, which focus on depressive symptom treatment and alcohol use Both courses teach coping skills for depression (CBT). However, one course focuses only on treatment for depression whereas the other provides also information tailored to the students' level of drinking and experience with regard to alcohol use.

In one course students are asked questions about their drinking, receive personalized feedback about it and are taught coping skills for their depressive symptoms

Active Comparator: CBT

Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT)

Behavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of therapy in which students will be taught coping skills for their depressive symptoms but they may or may not talk about alcohol consumption depending on the students' preference.

Detailed Description:

After a screening visit (2 ½ hrs) to confirm eligibility for the study, all participants will receive 8 weekly, 1-hour, individual sessions therapy with a counselor. Participants will be randomly assigned, by chance, like the flip of a coin, to the therapy course they will attend. In one of the therapy courses, students are asked questions about their drinking and receive personalized feedback about it, and are taught coping skills for their depressive symptoms. In the second course, students are also taught coping skills for their depressive symptoms but they may or may not talk about alcohol consumption depending on the students' preference. So, both courses teach the same coping skills for depressive symptoms but include different levels of focus on alcohol.

Participants will also complete 2 follow-up visits, at the end of the 8 sessions and then again 4 weeks after completing treatment. These will involve filling out some questionnaires and completing a few neuropsychological tests (these questionnaires and neuropsychological tests will also be completed during the screening visit).

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years to 24 Years

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Currently enrolled in college as an undergraduate student.

Ages 18-24 years (inclusive).

Presence of two binge drinking episodes in the past month (defined as consumption of 5 or more drinks in 2 hours for males and 4 for females; NIAAA, 2004).

BDI-II 12 (12 is often used to indicate the presence of at least mild depressive symptoms) and <30 (indicating severe depression).

Exclusion Criteria:

Meeting criteria for substance dependence or abuse (any substance) in the past six months (students with alcohol abuse will not be excluded).

Diagnosis of bulimia, psychosis, or bipolar disorder.

Having received any psychosocial treatment for depression or substance abuse in the past month.

Having received CBT for depression and/or alcohol use in the previous 6 months.

If receiving pharmacological treatment for depression or substance abuse, has not been on a stable dose for at least 4 weeks.

Discontinued an antidepressant medication less than 1 month ago.

Meeting criteria for severe depression or posing a serious suicide or homicide risk.

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01632319